Adwaita Nayar shows how to make your self a better leader
“I left Bain one year into the job. Back then, it was just a gut feeling, I knew that for the kind of person I was, I needed a role where there was no divide between my work and myself. Till today, I jump out of bed to get to work and want to think about Nykaa till the minute I sleep. It isn’t work for me – it’s life. I feel really lucky to have found a ‘job’ where I can be so passionate and give each step my 100%. It is a deep sense of ownership, determination and pride, says Adwaita Nayar, the COO of Nykaa.
This Yale graduate in applied mathematics quit her corporate job at Bain and joined her mother, Falguni Nayar, six months after Nykaa launched its website. The idea of building a company, a brand, was very exciting for her.
“I felt that Nykaa, given how early stage it was and given that my mom founded it, could provide me that experience. Luckily, that gut feeling panned out to be true.”
Currently she is focused on technology and product, but would like to get involved with most parts of the business. “Early on it was building the right team, then it was streamlining operations for scalability that then moved into developing digital marketing expertise and now we’re focused on perfecting the technology and product. I’ve learned through this process, that at any given point, there is a key focus area and it’s important to prioritize it,” she says.
Adwaita has had a very fortunate life, good health, a loving and supporting family, great set of friends and lots of educational and travel opportunities.
Growing up she has had great role models in her parents and learnt the value of discipline and hard work. Another great learning has been being positive and keeping a positive perspective. “My parents always had a zero tolerance policy for complaining or for moping around. If they caught me doing either, I was immediately asked to snap out of it. When I was younger, I thought it was quite harsh! Sometimes you just want to share how you’re feeling and want a listening ear. But as I am getting older, I am realizing how important positive thoughts are.”
Talking about her work she shares two very exciting moments that are special to her. One was the first
annual retreat last year at Alibagh where they held team bonding activities, held sessions to arrive at the short and long-term vision for Nykaa, had discussions around the culture and values they wanted to set and the leadership and working styles, etc. “It hit me”, she says, “that Nykaa was evolving into this entity with it’s own personality – one that extended beyond any finite set of team members. The teamwork and ownership I sensed across the team was electric. It was a really satisfying feeling.”The second moment was the Nykaa Femina Beauty Awards held this February. She reveals, “I remember being on stage and looking out at the audience, lined up front by Sonam Kapoor, Kajol, Dia Mirza, the Face Book India head, the heads of P&G and L’oreal and thinking — This is crazy, all these people take Nykaa seriously!”
As a student of applied mathematics, it comes as no surprise that Adwaita is very clear and precise in her thinking. Everything that she does and the way she leads is a result of comprehensive thought and learning. Talking about the leadership lessons she has learnt, she says,
The most important skill of a leader is to have a long-term view of the business. It’s about moving the ball forward and not being a perfectionist or a constant optimizer.
To evolve in this direction, she has created a 12-hour rule for herself. She gives her self 12 hours to respond to a controversial question, critical input, or some tricky news. “It forces me to be more deliberate, balanced and less reactive and emotional. Hands down this is a skill I have learnt from my mom.”
The second lesson she has learned is about bringing genuineness and authenticity to the workplace. If a leader shows vulnerability then the team can show theirs and this will lead to honest and close knit interactions, according to her.
She explains, “For me, not having a tech background is a drawback. I am always thinking about how to make up for it – by either hiring the right team, consultants, reading, asking for second opinions.”
The next step she adds,
is to know the gaps in the organization, and to find the right people to plug in for those. The minute you identify a weakness or a problem area, half the issue is solved!
While Adwaita lives and breathes work, she does love being active and outdoors. A perfect day for her starts with an early morning run exploring Mumbai. “I find the mornings serene and the scenes of Mumbai at that time to be incredible. It’s a time to totally disconnect from work. “
She also loves photography and uses it as an excuse to explore new places. “Nothing beats travelling – I have got a bad case of wanderlust. I think travel makes you better at work and at home.”
Apart from that, spending quality time with friends and family helps her unwind.
For young girls who are looking to inspire themselves, she has three tips-
-“Hard work and a crazy amount of determination is really all you need. The minute you realize that is the secret to success, you immediately acquire a sense of confidence and this confidence allows you to take on tough projects without fear, and hard work and determination give you the confidence.”
-“You grow the fastest, when you’re stretching yourself whether it is emotionally, physically or mentally. So taking the tougher path is really the best use of your time.”
-“Finally, what I believe in the most is– to be true to your self. As girls, we spend so much of our energy trying to please others by being who they want us to be. The earlier you realize that you are a particular type of person and there are enough people who love you for it – you can stop trying to be someone else. People may criticize you, but at the end of the day I’d rather explore the truest form of myself rather than react to others’ opinions of me.”